Things You'll Need
- Fish tank
- Aquarium gravel
- Large decorative stones
- Aquarium hood with plant growth light
- House light timer
- Variety of succulent plants
Instructions
Fill the base of the aquarium with at least three inches of aquarium gravel substrate. You can also use sand, if you wish, particularly if you wish to replicate a desert scene due to the presence of the cactus plants.
Add larger decorative stones to the aquarium, if you wish, to enhance the visual interest of the aquarium. Place the larger stones in the back of the aquarium, and the smaller stones in the front.
Position the cactus plants in the aquarium. You can remove them from their individual pots, if you wish, but be certain to plant them so their root balls are sunk below the level of the gravel or sand in the aquarium. Like the large stones, position the larger cactus plants at the back of the aquarium and the smaller or shorter plants at the front. Be sure to intersperse the flowering and non-flowering plants to provide as natural looking a scene as possible.
Top the aquarium with a light that replicates daylight as much as possible. These lights are available in pet supply stores and are labeled as "plant growth lights."
Install a light timer into your wall socket and set the timer for the amount of light your plants will need to thrive. This information can be found on the tag included with the individual plants. This is necessary to offset the fact that the cactus plants are positioned indoors, where they can't receive as much light as they need throughout the day. You can also use this to make certain your garden is turned on when you come home from work and is turned back off once you've gone to bed.
Water the garden according to the instructions on the individual plants. If your plants only require watering once per month or less, then follow these instructions to keep your aquarium garden healthy.